Happy 2009!

The first day of the new year. From where I am sitting, the sun is streaming in through the window and the day outside is windy. It is the first day of 2009.

Happy New Year's, everybody!

I am still a little tired from last night, which consisted of going around to Lisa's house (she's my lovely team leader) and staying up to the small hours linking arms and singing 'auld lang syne'. It was a bit of a modern take on an old classic, with Tim playing Bass and Terence (Lisa's husband) on guitar. Lisa, being the teacher that she is, had actually written out all the verses on paper, and stuck them up on the wall, with the original spelling, of course. Some of them caused a bit of merriment as we were singing - the following verse, for example:

And we’ll tak a right gude-willy waught

At that point in the evening, singing about a right good 'willy wart' seemed rather amusing!

I've since looked it up on wikipedia (where else?) and have discovered the following translation:

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old times since ?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
And surely I’ll buy mine !
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine^† ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

Anyway, what I like about the poem is the meaning behind it all - putting aside the 'willie warts' and other such things. It seems appropriate to remember all the good times that have passed between people - and to know that although their may be distance between us, there will still be times in the future when we can meet again and be connected once again - and reminis on days gone by.

2008 was an interesting year for me - and I think it was probably the best year yet. I'm finding that the older I get, the more confident I feel, the more at ease I feel with my place in the world. Who knows what 2009 will bring? I'm hoping more of the same, and that some more surprises will happen along the way.

Happy new years and may it bring the best for you, too.

Well, it's been ages, hasn't it?

Gosh, it has been a rather long time since I posted anything in here.

Actually, I was reminded of this blog by James when we met up with James and Kath (and Amy) yesterday. Kath spied my tattoo - and asked me how long I had had it for, and James said that readers of my blog had known about it for quite some time. So that got me thinking, what have my legions of dedicated fans been doing in my absence? how have they been coping without their weekly blog posts? I ended up feeling so guilty about it that I decided so post. So here I am.

I've been pretty busy recently - making - of all things, ugly dolls. If you don't know what ugly dolls are, then click here because I can't be bothered writing out a long-winded explanation:

http://uglydolls.com/

Anyway, I decided, for some insane reason, to make one for each member of my family. So in teh weeks leading up to Christmas, I have spent my evenings hunched over like an old Nana, with a needle in my hand and scraps of fabric all over the place. God, our house is beginning to represent the aftermath of a 'stitch and bitch' group session. Crikey. But the results were good, and I've actually passed on the craze to a few other people (mainly family members as they are as mad as I am.) and of course I've chalked up a list of people to make ugly dolls for. I just can't say no. (sigh)

Another cool thing I've done recently - I went on a 'mini-break' to Akaroa, and went to 'The Giant's House'. It's the house and garden of local artist Josie Martin, and it was full of insanely amazing mosaic sculptures. From the mosaic grand piano on the front lawn complete with stereo soundstystem to numerous water features and mosaics of all shapes and sizes, creating a crazy Dr. Suess like effect. It was definitely worth visiting, and I thorougly recommend it to those of you who may soon be heading down that way.....
In other news - Tim and I are now both on holiday, which is lovely. But it also means that we've got to get up off our backsides and actually start doing all these 'odd jobs' that we've been saving up for this very point in time. Like completely renovate our front garden...... I think we might be taking a trip to Mitre 10 tomorrow (our second home.)